Novice seeking help

Unknown · July 2001

I cooked 2 slabs of Baby Back ribs, One slab of Spare ribs and about 7 country style ribs skewered together at the same time. I used the direct method, used about 7 lemon-sized chunks of water soaked pecan wood, cooked at 250 degrees for 3 1/4 hours via the direct method. I used a vertical rib rack and I have the Large BGE. I also preped the ribs with rub that has some sugar in it but not salt.[p]The results were that all of the meat had a black coating of soot on it. Is that normal, good or bad? Most of the meat was juicy but some of the baby-backs were chared beyond yummy. Is it a mistake to try three differents kinds of meat/weight/size? I did not open the top until it was dinner time.[p]I was dissapointed based the the result that others were getting, I know the EGG is capable of primo ribs and I am convinced that the short comming is in my understanding of how to use the BGE. Any suggestions for a novice?

Wise One · July 2001

Daniel Cahoon, my thinking is that cooking direct with that amount of wood could cause flames which would char the ribs. Your question about cooking different types at the same time is a good one. I usually cook all of one type and typically takes a "cook's taste" (an excuse for me to eat early) as I near the end to make sure they are done right. I have had some that seem to cook a lot quicker than others. I don't know if it was the amount of meat, bone or fat that may have made the difference. I'll be interested in what the more expert Rib Cookers have to say.

bdavidson · July 2001

Daniel Cahoon,
I tend to agree with Wise One. Try cooking the ribs indirect over a drip pan of water for the first 3 hours or so. Then, remove the drip pan and finish them off with direct heat. Some have even advocated wrapping the ribs in aluminum foil for a time, but I've not tried it. I like the 3 hour indirect followed by 1/2 hour (or until done) direct method. Works well for me.

Trout Bum · July 2001

Daniel Cahoon,
I would think that given the variation in meats you would have been better off cooking indirect. Also, I would have put the larger fatter cuts on first, maybe an hour earlier, etc. than the smaller baby backs. Then monitour the progress every 30-45 mins. and flip or shift position as necessary.
B D

JimW · July 2001

Daniel Cahoon,
Baby backs will cook faster than spares no matter what you do. Also, cooking direct, as opposed to indirect, will speed up the cook. The soot, if it was soot and not char, probably came from some flames caused by the wood chunks or by grease dripping off the ribs. I prefer doing my ribs, pork loin back ribs, indirect slowly building up to about 325 dome temp. Flip and rotate every hour. They will be done in about 5 1/2 hours.
JimW

bdavidson · July 2001

JimW,
And they are sooooooo good!!!

Novice seeking help

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